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Microsoft has unveiled plans to launch a new Surface Hub 2S that’s set to be much more than a hardware refresh, bringing with it a full OS update.
While details are few and far between, we do know that the design of the new product will remain very similar to past models, with thin bezels in the same 50 inch and 85 inch formats, and 20-point multitouch displays.
But pergaps the biggest change comes with the introduction of a new Windows-based OS set to realign the company’s Microsoft Teams experiences, which have proven clunky and fragmented until now.
Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows
Teams Rooms on Windows is the name given to the replacement operating system set to take over from Teams OS as Microsoft looks to align its new offering with the already popular Teams Rooms for Android.
It promises to work not only with Teams, but with a handful of other video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Webex, however there is no mention of Google Meet, which remains well-liked by businesses and educational establishments alike.
However, the new OS will only be available for second-generation Surface Hub 2S devices leaving first-gen owners feeling uncatered for.
In fact, owners of the original devices have almost been guinea pigs for Microsoft, which says it has “learned a tremendous amount about how people use collaborative spaces and devices.”
Windows 10 Team Edition, the current underpinnings for the 2S, is set to lose support in October 2025. In light of this, and the inability to update to the new OS, Microsoft has hinted at a “path to migrate” in the future.
Full details of the software overhaul and hardware update are expected to come nearer to the launch later this year.
"One of the top global challenges facing organizations of all sizes is how to get the best productivity and facilitate collaboration -- in a world that is now fundamentally hybrid," a blog post annoucing the new launch said.
"Microsoft remains committed to deepening and expanding collaboration capabilities through Microsoft Teams, and ensuring the best of these experiences are reflected on Surface Hub."
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